Gun shooting support for vehicles

ABSTRACT

A table like bench rest structure for stabilizing a firearm position for shooting, wherein a special clamping device is provided for removably affixing the structure to a luggage rack of an ATV, and wherein the structure is provided with a table top support mechanism which affords substantially universal position and posture adjustment for the table top.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Field: This invention concerns gun support or bench rest devices for assisting he shooter by stabilizing the gun position, and particularly concerns such devices which are mountable on vehicles.

[0002] Prior Art: Various U.S. Patents have been issued on gun supporting structures, including the following: U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,080; 4,937,965; 4,672,898; 5,833,308; and 5,697,181, however, none of these devices provide the necessary structures for mounting on ATVs or for giving the stability, universal movement, versatility in gun positioning, or comfort required to shoot a rifle from a sitting position on the ATV, or by a shooter standing on the ground, alongside or in back of or in front of the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention in one of its broad structural embodiments is defined as a gun rest table structure having substantially universal positioning and posture adjusting mechanisms for the convenience and comfort of the shooter, wherein special clamping means is provided on the structure, and wherein said table structure can be quickly mounted on and removed from the luggage racks of an ATV or equivalent type vehicle by way of said clamping means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The invention and its objects and advantages will be understood further from the description and drawings herein wherein the various figures are not drawn to scale or relative proportions, but illustrate the inventive concepts of the invention, and wherein:

[0005]FIG. 1 is a side view of a portion of an ATV (“ARTIC CAT”) with the present table structure mounted on the rear luggage rack thereof and supporting a gun on stabilizing sandbags;

[0006]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the table structure of FIG. 1 with the table top shown in dotted outline, and showing a portion of the ATV rear luggage rack;

[0007]FIG. 3 is a top view of the luggage rack taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1 showing a side edge mounting of the table structure clamping means;

[0008]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3; and

[0009]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 2 of a preferred hand locking knob means for the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] The invention will be further understood from the following description with particular reference to the claims hereof wherein in a preferred structural embodiment the invention comprises a gun rest table structure generally designated 10 for an off-the-road vehicle 12, particularly an ATV having a luggage rack 14 positioned either forward or rearward of the drivers seat 16 or both and firmly fixed to the vehicle frame. The rack is constructed of a plurality of normally generally horizontally positioned steel pipe or rod members 18 oriented and welded together at angles to each other to form a plurality of openings 20 thru a normally generally horizontal plane 22 of the luggage rack. It is noted that the terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, “top”, “lower”, “upper”, “height” and the like used herein refer to the positions or postures of the particular structure involved relative to the positions or postures of the other related structures, and not necessarily with respect to the terrain surface.

[0011] The table structure comprises a table top 17 of any desired configuration and material, e.g., treated plywood, fiberglass, aluminum, or the like, a clamping means 19 for removably affixing the table structure to said rack, and table top support means generally designated 21. The clamping means 19 is comprised of an elongated bottom bar or strut 24 having a longitudinal dimension or axis 26, and an elongated bar or upper strut 28 having a longitudinal dimension or axis, also 26. At least one of adjacent surface portions 30 or 32 of said struts is substantially flat to provide a lateral stabilizer means in contact with the adjacent rack members 18. Slots 34 are formed generally vertically thru the struts and are adapted to be aligned for receiving fastener means 36 for tightening surface portions 30, 32 in a clamping manner to members 18 interposed generally horizontally between the struts.

[0012] Support means 21 comprises a stanchion 38 affixed to said upper strut and extending substantially vertically therefrom. This stanchion preferably comprises an upper pipe section 40 slidably mounted in a first bearing means component provided by the bore 41 of a lower pipe section 42 and is adapted to be adjustably fixed to section 42 by stop means 43 to adjust the height of its top end 44 above the luggage rack. The construction of stop means 43 is preferably used for all of the adjustment means employed in the present invention for support means 21 and comprises a bolt or set screw 45 affixed preferably by welding to a hand knob 47 and threaded thru a nut 49 welded to the side of the support means component such as 42. When knob 47 is rotated in a clamping (screw in) direction, the inner end of 45 will frictionally and tightly engage the inner pipe or shaft component such as section 40 and securely hold the sections together. A second bearing means component 46 is affixed on said top end 44 and a supporting beam means 48 is slidably mounted in said second bearing means component 46 in a normally generally horizontal plane. A distal support end 50 of beam 48 is provided with a third bearing means component 51 for receiving a shaft 52 affixed to a table top mounting plate 54 which is fixed to the bottom 53 of table top 17 by screws or the like 56.

[0013] Each of the three bearing means provides for axial and angular adjustment of the internal member and affords universal position and posture adjustment for the table top. Such adjustment versatility can thus accommodate the requirements of the most particular of shooters.

[0014] The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications will be effected with the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1: A firearm rest structure 10 adapted for mounting on a vehicle 12 having a luggage rack 14 positioned either forward or rearward of the drivers seat or both, wherein the rack 14 is comprised of a plurality of normally generally horizontally postured members 18 which are oriented and fixed together at angles to each other to form a plurality of openings 20 thru a normally generally horizontal luggage plane 22, wherein said rest structure comprises a table 11 having a top 17, clamping means 19 having an elongated bottom strut 24 having a longitudinal dimension 26, and having an elongated upper strut 24 having a longitudinal dimension 26, at least one of adjacent surface portions 30, 32 of said struts being substantially flat to provide a lateral stabilizer means for contact with adjacent ones of said members 18, slot means 34 formed generally vertically thru said struts and adapted to be aligned for receiving fastener means 36 for tightening said surface portions 30, 32 in a clamping manner to said members 18 interposed generally horizontally between said struts, and table top support means 21 (elements 42,40,46,48,51,52,43,55,57) affixed at its lower portion to said clamping means 19 and at it upper portion to said table top 17, wherein said support means 21 provides linear and angular adjustment means which affords substantially universal position and posture adjustment to said table top relative to said luggage rack: 2 (cancelled): 3: The firearm rest structure of claim 1 wherein said support means 21 comprises a first tubular member 38 having a lower section 42 having a bore providing a first bearing means 41, and having an upper section 40 slidably (axially) and angularly (rotatably) mounted in 41, a first stop means 43 mounted on said section 42 and engageable with said section 40 to adjustably fix the relative positions, both axially and angularly, of section 40 with respect to section 42, a second tubular member 46 affixed to a top end 44 of section 40 and having a bore providing a second bearing means 35, support beam means 48 slidably and rotatably mounted in said bearing means 35, a second stop means 55 mounted on member 46 and engageable with beam means 48 to adjustably fix the relative positions, both axially and angularly, of beam means 48 with respect to member 46, a third tubular member 51 affixed to a distal end 50 of said beam means 48 and having a bore providing a third bearing means 33, a table support shaft 52 sidably and rotatably mounted in said bearing means 33, a third stop means 57 mounted on said member 51 and engageable with said shaft 52 to adjustably fix the relative positions, both axially and angularly, of shaft 52 with respect to member 51, wherein with respect to the horizontal posture of said plane 22, said member 38 is on a generally vertical axis 39, said member 46 is on a generally horizontal axis 37, said member 51 is on a generally vertical axis 60, and said table top 17 lies generally in a horizontal plane
 31. 4: The firearm rest structure of claim 3 wherein said table is a single structure having shaft 52 and plate 54 as its sole immediate support whereby said table is allowed substantially vertical adjustment and angular adjustment whereby the plane of said table is not subject to inopportune tilting with respect to plane
 22. 5: The firearm rest structure of claim 4 wherein said struts 24 and 28 are each rectangular in shape and having a center portion to which a bottom end of said lower section 42 is affixed, and each further having an end section on either longitudinal side of said center portion thru which said slots 34 are formed, whereby said struts are readily positioned on said rack 14 to bridge the distance between adjacent ones of said rack member to provide for quick mounting and dismounting of said firearm rest structure on said rack. 6: The combination of a firearm rest structure 10 mounted on a vehicle 12 having a luggage rack 14 positioned either forward or rearward of the drivers seat or both, wherein the rack 14 is comprised of a plurality of normally generally horizontally postured members 18 which are oriented and fixed together at angles to each other to form a plurality of openings 20 thru a normally generally horizontal luggage plane 22, wherein said rest structure comprises a table 11 having a top 17, clamping means 19 having an elongated bottom strut 24 having a longitudinal dimension 26, and having an elongated upper strut 24 having a longitudinal dimension 26, at least one of adjacent surface portions 30, 32 of said struts being substantially flat to provide a lateral stabilizer means for contact with adjacent ones of said members 18, slot means 34 formed generally vertically thru said struts and adapted to be aligned for receiving fastener means 36 for tightening said surface portions 30, 32 in a clamping manner to said members 18 interposed generally horizontally between said struts, and table top support means affixed at its lower portion to said clamping means 19 and at it upper portion to said table top 17, wherein said support means 21 provides linear and angular adjustment means which affords substantially universal position and posture adjustment to said table top relative to said luggage rack. 7: The combination of claim 6 wherein said support means 21 comprises a first tubular member 38 having a lower section 42 having a bore providing a first bearing means 41, and having an upper section 40 slidably (axially) and angularly (rotatably) mounted in 41, a first stop means 43 mounted on said section 42 and engageable with said section 40 to adjustably fix the relative positions, both axially and angularly, of section 40 with respect to section 42, a second tubular member 46 affixed to a top end 44 of section 40 and having a bore providing a second bearing means 35, support beam means 48 slidably and rotatably mounted in said bearing means 35, a second stop means 55 mounted on member 46 and engageable with beam means 48 to adjustably fix the relative positions, both axially and angularly, of beam means 48 with respect to member 46, a third tubular member 51 affixed to a distal end 50 of said beam means 48 and having a bore providing a third bearing means 33, a table support shaft 52 slidably and rotatably mounted in said bearing means 33, a third stop means 57 mounted on said member 51 and engageable with said shaft 52 to adjustably fix the relative positions, both axially and angularly, of shaft 52 with respect to member 51, wherein with respect to the horizontal posture of said plane 22, said member 38 is on a generally vertical axis 39, said member 46 is on a generally horizontal axis 37, said member 51 is on a generally vertical axis 60, and said table top 17 lies generally in a horizontal plane
 31. 8: The combination of claim 7 wherein said table is a single structure having shaft 52 and plate 54 as its sole immediate support whereby said table is allowed substantially vertical adjustment and angular adjustment whereby the plane of said table is not subject to inopportune tilting with respect to plane
 22. 9: The combination of claim 8 wherein said struts 24 and 28 are each rectangular in shape and having a center portion to which a bottom end of said lower section 42 is affixed, and each further having an end section on either longitudinal side of said center portion thru which said slots 34 are formed, whereby said struts are readily positioned on said rack 14 to bridge the distance between adjacent ones of said rack member to provide for quick mounting and dismounting of said firearm rest structure on said rack. 